Marlton’s OSushi Deserves an ‘OYes’

Upon entering Marlton’s new Japanese restaurant OSushi, you might think you’ve stepped into a relaxing spa—if you haven’t already heard the buzz about the food. OSushi’s tranquil ambiance owes a lot to its decor, which emphasizes earthen shades of brown, black, and green. Situated in a glass box over a grey stone wall, a crackling faux fire soothes diners. During my first trip there, smooth jazz music added another layer of serenity to the restaurant’s peaceful atmosphere.

When my dinner arrived, I discovered that the food at OSushi is a lot like its appearance: beautiful and thoughtfully designed without showiness or pretense. The waitress served my colorful, glistening sushi appetizer atop a green banana leaf. The artistic arrangement of my entree —Spicy Tem Don—rendered it almost too pretty to eat. Like an adept painter, the chef seemed to know how to blend complementing colors for a dish with truly stunning visual appeal.

Spicy Tem Don

Chicken Yaki Udon

An artist well-versed in sushi making, OSushi’s head chef and part-owner Ken Chau trained for five years in Japan before perfecting his craft in the United States. His signature dishes feature unique combinations of flavors like oranges with salmon and mango salsa, and these creative fusions have been particularly popular menu items. Other customer favorites include Tuna Tower and Tuna Oshizushi, a style of sushi that is pressed inside a boxlike wooden mold.

Chau might be an expert in Japanese cuisine, but OSushi’s owner Sam Li also credits exceptional ingredients for the top-notch sushi. The restaurant imports much of its seafood from True World Foods, a company that promises to deliver to its clients the freshest fish possible through innovative preservation and shipping methods. True World even provides fish straight from Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji Fish Market, one of the largest seafood markets in the world.

“We’re pretty strict with the quality of our fish,” explains Li, who believes that ordering the right seafood is the most effective technique for ensuring his diners enjoy the best sushi.

Customers have definitely taken notice that Osushi isn’t just any run-of-the-mill sushi joint. Although it just opened its doors on March 4, the restaurant has already made a name for itself in South Jersey, boasting 4.5 stars on Yelp and another 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor (at the time of this article’s publication). A quick glance at OSushi’s Facebook page reveals words like “amazing,” “excellent,” and “love” over and over again as patrons praise the meals they’ve eaten there. My waitress noted that weekends are an especially busy time for OSushi.

is a freelance writer, mom, and food lover from Medford. She grew up learning to cook from her mother and grandmother and loves trying new types of cuisines. After college she continued pursuing her love of writing and food when she taught a food-themed English Composition course at Rutgers. She then worked in nonprofit communications before becoming a freelance writer. In her free time, she loves inventing her own dishes, trying out new restaurants, being a tea enthusiast, and reading. You can check out Christina’s home culinary adventures on Instagram or follow her on Twitter.